There are a number of different applications that allow a user to collect, view, and use data from network devices and applications. This data may be used for many different purposes. For example, the data may be used to enforce policy decisions regarding network traffic and the like. The data received by the user is predefined by the application and/or device providing the data. This data may then be manipulated by a device or program external to the network device or program. These programs may allow the user to make certain decisions, but not others.
As E-commerce among business-to-business and consumer applications continues to expand, companies require precise monitoring tools, along with a forecasting mechanism to assist in capacity planning. Network management tools can help a user spot potential problems before they occur, then visualize the future steps needed to keep E-commerce sites performing as they should.
Some networking tools provide administration, monitoring and trended analysis for Internet traffic management based on various metrics. The networking tools help to allow businesses, to monitor server traffic, while providing forecasting tools to assist in traffic analysis and network planning. System administrators can perform capacity planning exercises to forecast when their infrastructure will require upgrades. Additionally, some of the networking tools monitor current performance, as well as provide an analysis package to review past operations, and help predict future functionality. For an E-commerce site, these networking tools may help administrators decide when and how to upgrade their infrastructure to meet increasing user demand, so that a potential customer need never be turned away because the site couldn't handle the traffic.
The continued growth of E-commerce applications presents challenges to both business and IT managers. E-commerce applications are not only growing at a phenomenal pace, they are becoming more strategic to an organizations' operation. Inadequate server capacity, scalability, persistence, and fault-tolerant reliability may cause problems for many companies. Overcoming these problems helps to avoid the costs associated with an unreachable site.